A recognised Alpha+ city that falls behind only London, New York, and Tokyo in the world global city rankings, Dubai is a location that needs no introduction, such is its global reputation for grandeur and conspicuous wealth. It is the crown jewel that symbolises the UAE’s growing international prestige, and an engine of growth that has enabled the diminutive nation to make economic and political waves that far bely its size.
With its soaring skyline; a glittering forest of striking and exquisitely designed skyscrapers and structures, Dubai is utterly breath-taking in terms of its aesthetics, and every inch the futuristic cosmopolitan metropolis for which it has become known. Much credit for the successful fusion of visual splendour, grand design and effective municipal function, which includes iconic buildings like the Burj Khalifa and Atlantis, The Palm, to name but a few, must of course be given to the city’s rulers, who have been proactive in orchestrating Dubai’s rise to greatness. But if Dubai’s rulers are to be credited for their vision and ambition, then companies of the stature of National Engineering Bureau must also receive their share of credit for being the primary instruments of their will.
Since the company was first established more than 30-years ago in 1984, National Engineering Bureau (NEB) has helped play its part in a rapid transformation that has seen a sleepy fishing village become one of the world’s greatest cities in less than a generation. Headquartered in Dubai but with licenses to operate in all seven emirates, NEB has developed an impeccable reputation for excellence as a leading service provider of architectural and engineering consultancy solutions.
“National Engineering Bureau is a multidisciplinary consultancy, providing A-Z solutions for projects. We offer support from design all the way through to site supervision, with a staff count of over 470 and over 33-years of experience within the GCC region,” explained Jamil Jadallah, NEB’s Managing Director. He continued: “We work predominantly within the UAE, however we do have projects in Oman, India, Turkmenistan and plan to move further afield in the near future.”
NEB has long-been respected within its field by its industry peers and clients alike, and for many years the company was the go-to firm for small to medium size projects in Dubai. The past 15-years have proved to be a gamechanger for the company, however, during which it has experienced a quite incredible upturn in terms of its number of projects, and their size and scale. Today, NEB is regarded as a big-project specialist, having now completed some of the most iconic projects, and it is no coincidence that this has occurred since Jamil Jadallah’s arrival at the company in 2002. Since he entered the industry in the 1990’s, Jadallah has amassed great knowledge and expertise which he has since used to transform NEB. In particular, his collaborative approach to management, inspired his staff to become the best that they can be, both in a professional and personal capacity.
Hard work, honesty, and loyalty are the values that underpin NEB’s accomplishments over the years, and no more is this evident than in the way the company works with clients. Jamil elaborated on this, saying: “We work with our clients, offering support on all stages of the projects in the hopes of executing and a successful project meeting the requirements of the client and the needs of the end user. We believe that working with the client to guide and support and realise their vision, that we can build a relationship based on trust and hard work, resulting in repeat business and a successful working relationship. Having been established within the region for over 33 years, we have carved out many long lasting successful relationships which emphasises our work ethic and commitment to our clients and their projects.”
Upon taking on a project, NEB’s architects first take the time to get inside the client’s mind, so to speak, and gain a sound understanding of their vision. Only once they understand the client vision can they can set about realising it. Each individual project represents a new beginning – there are no preconceptions, no templates to work from. The slate is clean. This is because each project is treated as bespoke, tailored only to that particular client.
“NEB’s success can be directly linked to our long-standing working relationships; however, we believe it’s our work ethos and commitment to establishing and maintaining such relationships that has attributed to the company’s success and continued growth. We believe in working with all developers and nurturing each project if there is genuine investment and belief in the project.”
The result of fostering strong, customer-centric relationships with clients, and of investing the time and resources to discover exactly what it is they desire, has led to the successful completion of dozens upon dozens of exquisite buildings, both at home in the Middle East and further afield. Over the course of the company’s three-decade history, the company has completed an array of high-profile projects, which includes banks and shopping malls, towering office blocks, residential areas, schools, hospitals, and even a clutch of super-tall skyscrapers, including Marina 106 – the jewel in NEB’s crown, and a structure which upon its completion will be the second tallest tower in Dubai behind only the Burj Khalifa.
NEB’s portfolio is first-rate, and showcases fully its ability to design and develop fabulous buildings that combine avant garde aesthetics with comfort and function. Naturally, these feats haven’t gone unnoticed, and in addition to the company’s reputation as a leader in its field in the Middle East, NEB is now beginning to gain international recognition that has seen the company voted amongst BD’s World Architecture top-100 firms.
It goes without saying that NEB’s success simply wouldn’t have been possible were it not for the company’s diverse and highly skilled workforce. Jamil Jadallah is understandably proud of his team, stating: “NEB currently has over 470 staff made up of architects, engineers, interior designers, and office and site staff. At NEB we understand the importance of our staff to the success and continued growth of our company. Many staff has stayed with the company for many years growing and developing professionally under our talented and experienced senior staff, resulting in promotions internally within the firm.”
Following what has been difficult period for the Middle East, during which it has been forced to come to terms with a new-normal world of lower oil prices, the region has now stabilised somewhat. Following a strong finish to 2016, which saw NEB acquire many new projects, 2017 has thus far continued in much the same way. “New clients as well as expanding in to a new sector of the market. This highlights a great example of growth for the company, with plans to continue to take on new projects in new regions in the new future,” Jamil said, with regards to what the future holds for business. “Looking forward in to the 3rd and 4th quarter of the year, we are seeing a lot more stability within our industry due to the oil prices and forecasted projects coming from the government bodies in Dubai and the UAE.”
It appears that with ever more mega-projects and ambitious builds planned at home in the Middle East, 2017 and 2018 are going to be fruitful indeed for the company. And that’s without taking into account the world beyond, where NEB is planning to expand its horizons further. The sky’s the limit for Jamil and his team.
